Howdens Kicks Off £100m Runcorn Factory And Warehouse Expansion

Howdens, the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier, has started work on a major expansion of its Runcorn cabinet making facility, to support its thriving kitchen and joinery business.

A ground-breaking ceremony at the site, attended by Howdens CEO Andrew Livingston and Operations Director Julian Lee, marked the official start of the works. The £100m investment which will take about three years to complete will increase the size of the site by 40 per cent, from 500k sq. ft to 700k sq. ft, and the new factory will house state-of-the-art manufacturing machines to create one of the largest cabinet production lines in the world. The expansion supports Howdens ambitious expansion plans both in the UK but also its fledgling kitchen and joinery businesses in Ireland and France. This has seen Howdens grow its revenues by over 45% since the pandemic and the company entered the prestigious FTSE 100 index of leading UK companies in 2022.

The site, which employs over 450 staff, has been making kitchen pre-assembled rigid kitchen cabinets for over 30 years, supplying trade customers through Howdens’ 870-strong depot network. Howdens is a 100% UK-based manufacturer, and the Runcorn site is one of five production facilities in the north of the UK. The on-site team makes more than 70 per cent of Howdens’ rigid cabinet capacity of around 5 million cabinets each year. Ready-assembled cabinets are loved by Howdens’ trade customers as they are quick and easy to install and come with a 25-year guarantee. Cabinets often come pre-loaded with drawers and wire-work saving them critical time during installation, making Howdens the go-to choice of the busy tradesperson.

As part of the expansion project Howdens recently purchased the freehold of the site, further helping to secure the long-term future of Runcorn as a centre of excellence for cabinet production.

Image: Howdens Ops Director Julian Lee (L) and CEO Andrew Livingston (R) at Runcorn ground breaking

Andrew Livingston, Howdens CEO, said; “Our Runcorn manufacturing facility is critical to our business and has been for many years. We are proud of our skilled teams who make the facility what it is. This expansion matters to the community and to UK manufacturing. Today’s investment demonstrates our commitment to UK skilled jobs and strengthening Howdens’ capability to support future growth here and abroad.”

Julian Lee, Operations Director at Howdens said; "It’s an important day for Runcorn. This factory has been making our cabinets since 1995, and this investment secures our ability to keep manufacturing 100% of them in the UK for our depots and their customers. The real driver is the people here. Their commitment, work ethic and skill are the reason we produce the best cabinets in the industry. This expansion strengthens our vertical integration and gives us the capacity we need to support a growing depot network for many years."

Howdens offers a wide range of kitchen and bedroom collections, from best on budget to premium Classic Timber Kitchens with 24 paint-to-order options, along with joinery, doors, and flooring. Kitchens feature rigid cabinets and are manufactured in their factories and are backed by a 25-year cabinet guarantee. All products are available from stock at over 850 depots across the UK and Republic of Ireland, ensuring availability when needed. Howdens is also the exclusive supplier of Lamona appliances, Oake & Gray flooring, and Fuller & Forge ironmongery, providing a complete solution for any project.

Howdens offers a free design and home measure service which can be booked online or at your local depot.

Find out more at howdens.com

Source : Howdens

Image : Howdens

For all the very latest news and intelligence on the UK's largest home improvement and garden retailers, sign up for the Insight DIY weekly newsletter.